Explorers of Antarctica in the 1900s

In 1912, Captain Robert Falcon Scott perished while making his journey back from the South Pole. Along with his fellow adventurers, he perished from lack of food and heat. Although stung sharply by his inability to win the race to the South Pole, his valor as he stared death in the face sealed his fate as a legend in his country. Go to this site for further information on affordable travel to antarctica.

After many years of study, we can now understand the vast dangers that explorers faced while trekking the vast Antarctic continent. During the bitter winter months, temperatures often reach a low of minus 90 degrees Celsius and wind speeds average 67 kilometres an hour. Unfortunately, Captain Scott saw the same conditions without knowing what to expect beforehand.

Examining the letters Scott wrote to his wife as he worked as a scientists on the continent one can see the isolation he was feeling there. Even today, with all our current communication technology, researchers working in this area can still relate to a deep sense of feeling all alone. Captain Scott’s wife and child, a young boy, were left behind to mourn.

When Captain Scott’s body was discovered a few months after his death, correspondence to his wife were found as well. Scott died 11 miles away from his supply post. Captain Scott’s wife was in New Zealand, waiting for her husband to come back, when news of his death reached her. When you would like to get more information on antarctica trip check out this site.

The letters that Scott left behind for his wife, can shed much light for historians of Antarctica. In the beginning, his letters were positive and explained how much he enjoyed sitting down to a good meal. His letters mentioned the cold, and his complaints about it, but he claimed the hot meals the team enjoyed kept the freezing temperatures away.

As the expedition went on the food was running low, Scott’s mood seemed to change as well. He begins to describe how the cold has become more bitter and unrelenting. To travel 11 miles more in their trip he and his fellow explorers were down to only one hot meal and two days worth of cold food, hunger was beginning to take its toll.

During this time of great exploration, Scott was a monumental figure, but, unfortunately, his plans were cursed twofold. Scott came in second in his quest for Antarctica to a Norwegian named Roald Amundsen. Amundsen had begun his expedition on December 21st of 1911, and Scott’s expedition went underway January 18th of 1912.

At the time of his final trip, Scott was already a national hero in England following his adventures in the Antarctic from 1902 – 1904. The two other men with him, Lieutenant Henry Bowers and Dr. Edward Wilson held onto their beliefs of survival. Petty Officer Edgar Evans and Captain Lawrence Oats did not win their fight to survive.

Food supplies for the journey were reserved when they were a mere 20 miles from a shelter. They had quickly run out of food and supplies. Scott wrote in his letters to his wife that she should remarry if he were to die, his letters described weathering temperatures 70? below zero in nothing but a tent.

It is evident from Scott’s last letters, that he never regretted the choice he made, to go on this trek that ultimately led to his death. He went so far as to say that it was an improvement to just sitting around at home all day. Many British youngsters have learned a lot and have been inspired by the story of Scott’s journey.

And this although Scott’s expedition was unable to reach the south pole before Amundsmen’s team, missing the chance by a scant few weeks. Scott died on March 29, 1912. His diary of events entitled “Scott’s Last Expedition” hit print in 1913.